Pipe tongs



Sept. 28, 1937.` F ROBlNSON 2,094,190

PIPE TONGS Filed May 28, 1936 Patented Sept. 28, 1937 hrear orties PIPETONGS Forster Robinson, Lima, Ohio Application May 28,

4 Claims.

The present* invention relates to pipe tongs and it is more particularlyconcerned with nonadjustable pipe tongs of the character used in the oiland natural gas iields, for assembling and disassembling pipe lines.

Although pipe tongs of this general character have kbeen heretoforeproposed for this purpose, special problems arising in the field haverendered them ineiective. to achieve the result for which they weredesigned. After the pipes have been in the ground for some time theybecome rusted, corroded and scaly with the result that they are not onlyundersize, but also, by reason of their decreased vwall section, theyare considerably lweakened.

In the past it has been the practice to shim up by inserting a piece ofmetal between one of ,the pipe tong jaws and the surface of the pipe.This procedure entails the expenditure of considerable time and is opento the further serious disadvantage of exerting a tremendous crushingactionupon the` pipe, with the result that the pipe often collapsesunder the pressure. lThe pipe is therefore not only ruined but it isalso necessary to disassemble it by other means.y

Itis accordingly a primary object of my invention to provide pipe tongswhich will efficiently handle both new and old pipes irrespective of howbadly they may be rusted or corroded, without crushing them.

Another important object is to provide a novel pipey tong which willupon partial actuation firmly grip slightly undersized pipe and uponfurther actuation maintain its grip `on the pipe and impart a turningaction thereto.

' A further object is to provide a pipe tong having a handle and a pairof jaws, which is so designed that when engaged with an undersized pipe,initial actuation of the handle will cause the jaws to exert apredetermined gripping action upon the pipe, and further actuation ofthe handle will maintain the predetermined gripping action and willimparta turning action to the plpe.

Another object is to devise a novel pipe tong having but one handle andwhich involves no gears, pin and slot connections or springs and whichwill` stand up under severe service and not get out'of proper workingorder.

Further objects will become apparent as the specification proceeds inconnection with the annexed drawing, and from the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved pipe tong, a portion ofthe large jaw being 1936, serial No. 82,361

01. sx1-12s) broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the tong shown in Fig. 4land shows the jaws engaged with a new or full sized pipe;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational viewy of the tong shown in Fig. 1 as itapp-ears with the handle and sliding jaw removed therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig.3, and,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the sliding jaw employed in my tong.

With continued reference to the drawing, wherein like referencecharacters have been employed to designate like parts throughout theseveral views thereof, my improved'tong comprises a head or main bodymember I0, which carries the stationary jaw, a sliding jaw II, and anoperating handle or lever It.

As seen in Fig. 2,. member I0 is of general C-shape so as to t about thepipe to be gripped and is provided with a pair of longitudinal flangesI3 on its rear face for the purpose of strengtheningv and lendingrigidity to the body. The upper end of the body is provided with arecess M having straight or parallel'side walls. A pipe gripping bit I5of hard steel and having a gripping edge I6 and straight or parallelside walls is mounted in recess Ill; Secured to bit I5 is a screw orbolt I'I, which extends through an opening in body Ill and is threadedinto the bit I5, the outer end of this screw having a head I8 thereonfor turning it. It is apparent that by turning the screw I'I to tightenit, bit l5 is pulled into intimate engagement with the walls of recessIll and hence securely 'held with respect to body I0. i

The lower end of body Ill is provided with' a pair of spaced flanges 2|between which is dened a guideway for sliding jaw li which has a slidingfit therebetween. Flanges 2l are bridged by a member 22 which forms anabutment for the sliding jaw` and a similar abutment is provided on bodyIEI and takes the form of a shallow flange 23.

As seen in Fig. 5, jaw II assumes the form of a block having a curvedupper face 25 adapted to engage the pipe P and preferably has a radiusof curvature similar to that of the pipe for which the tong is designedto handle. Jaw II is also provided with a pair of arms 26 and 2l whichare adapted to cooperate with abutments 22 and 23 respectively. Jaw IIis also provided with a bearing face 28 which cooperates with a face 29provided on body I0 for absorbing the reaction of jaw II in response tothe turning force applied to handle I2. Face 29 also prevents the jawfrom rocking so far as to bind in body I0 when the jaw is retracted. Arm21 also cooperates with a flange 30 on body I0 to prevent the jaw fromdropping too far downwardly when lever I2 is retracted.

Lever I2 is pivoted on a pin 3| which is riveted or otherwise secured inplace in flanges 2|, and is provided with a rounded end 32, but as it ispivoted oif center it constitutes an eccentric cam. When lever I2 isrocked clockwise (Fig. 2) surface 32 engages the bottom of jaw II andforces it toward stationary jaw I 5.

Taking up the operation of my improved tong, it is tted over the pipe Pas seen in Figs. 1 and 2 and lever I2 is then grasped and turned in aclockwise direction. Initial movement of lever I2 takes up the clearancebetween jaw II and the pipe. Further movement of lever I2 causes jaws I5and II to firmly grip the pipe and this condition is illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2. Application of further turning force to lever I 2 causesbit i5 to bite into the pipe and the pressure of the jaws also causesthe pipe to undergo a predetermined degree of distortion. Both of theseactions tend to decrease the clearance between arms 26 and 2 of jaw IIand their abutments 22 and 23. A

In the present instance a new pipe has been illustrated and hence arms26 and 2'I may or may not contact their abutments when suilcient forceis applied to lever I2 to turn the pipe.

When a pipe which is7 undersize, by reason of rust or corrosion, isoperated upon the rst part of the force applied to lever I2 is utilizedto take up clearance between the jaws and the pipe and rmly grip ittherebetween. Usually this operation will bring the abutment arms of jawI I into engagement with their abutments, with the result thatapplication of further forces to lever I2 merely results in theapplication of a turning effort upon the pipe, as the abutments preventthe pressure upon the pipe from building up further. I have accordinglyprovided a tong which will not crush pipes whose walls have beencorroded or rusted.

Preferably and as shown, the gripping edge I 6 of the bit I5, and thepivot pin 3l of the handle or lever are located in a median line whichextends through the center of the pipe and through the center of the jawII, whereby the cam action of the eccentric will be brought directlyagainst the plane surface of the jaw II and the gripping edge IB of thebit, the power being thus applied in a straight line and in a directionwhich is most effective.

The preferred construction has been shown, but it is to be understoodthat equivalent constructions, embraced by the appended claims, arecontemplated.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a pipe tong, a body member having an open-sided recess into whicha pipe may be introduced, one side of said recess providing a stationarypipe-gripping jaw, a pair of spaced parallel flanges projecting from aportion of said body partially defining said recess and defining aguideway opening into said recess, a second jaw comprising a block-likeelement mounted in said guideway for movement toward and away from saidstationary jaw, said block being of suiliciently less width than saidguideway to provide a loose fit, said block being provided with a pairof abutment faces, an abutment bridging said flanges and a secondabutment provided on said body member, said abutments being disposed inthe path of movement of the abutment faces of said block in its movementtoward said stationary jaw, said abutments being operable tosimultaneously engage said abutment faces and stop said second jaw afterit has moved a predetermined distance toward said stationary jaw and toprevent binding of said block in said guideway, and an operating leverdisposed between said flanges and pivotally supported thereon, saidlever having means for engaging and forcing said block toward saidstationary jaw when it is rocked in a predetermined direction.

2. A pipe tong comprising a body having a recess for receiving a pipe, asharpened die mounting in one side of said recess for engaging a pipeacted on by the tong, a movable jaw mounted in said body at such a pointthat its center of effective eiort is substantially diametricallyopposite said die with respect to a pipe in the tong, and means pivotedto said body at a point substantially in alignment with said die and thecenter of effective effort of said movable jaw, said means including ahandle for said tong, for camming said movable jaw toward said die toclamp a pipe, in the tong, against said die, the point of contact ofsaid last named means with said movable jaw being substantially i nalignment with said die, the center of effective effort of said movablejaw and the pivotal point of said last named means, when a pipe isclamped in said tong, whereby the tong is locked to a pipe clampedtherein.

3. In a pipe tong a body member having an open sided recess which may betted about aV pipe, a stationary jaw secured at one end of said bodymember and at one end of said recess, a pair of spaced substantiallyparallel flanges projecting from one side of the other end of said bodydening a guide-way and a portion of said recess, said guide-way openinginto said recess, a second jaw of less width than said guideway mountedfor free sliding movement in said guide-way toward and away from saidstationary jaw, an operating lever pivotally supported upon said angeshaving a cam portion for engaging said second jaw and urging it towardsaid stationary jaw when said operating lever is rocked, and abutmentmeans bridging said flanges for engaging and positively arresting saidsecond jaw after it has moved a predetermined distance toward saidstationary jaw and for preventing the binding of said second jaW in saidguideway.

4. The pipe tong described in claim 3 wherein the stationary jawcomprises a single die characterized by the fact that it presents asharpened edge to the pipe diametrically opposite the veffective centerof the movable jaw, with respect to the pipe.

FORSTER ROBINSON.

